Why they call it Falling
by Tifa Gainsborough
Summary: A songfic. Cloud and Tifa of course. Tifa will learn just what it means when falling and love are used in the same sentence. Bad summary, but a good story.


Its like jumping

"Its like jumping 

_It's like leaping_

_It's like walkin on the ceiling_

_It's like floating_

_It's like flying through the air"_

Tifa Lockhart hummed a happy tune to herself as she folded the laundry. She put it all into neat piles on the bed. She made sure to separate her clothes from Cloud's clothes, keeping the shirts together and pants together, just like her mother had taught her. 

Cloud Strife, her boyfriend of nearly a year, was downstairs fixing dinner. She ran her fingers over the sleeves of one of his sweaters, enjoying the soft fabric under her touch. 

The sounds of pans crashing and Cloud's loud curse floated up the stairs. Tifa smiled, putting socks in a neat row in a dresser drawer. Even the stupidest things Cloud did could make her smile. She picked up a pile of shirts and stuffed them neatly into a draw.

She was in love.

"Its like soaring 

_It's like gliding_

It's a rocket ship you're ridding 

_It's a feeling that can take you anywhere"_

They sat at the dinner table, quietly eating the dinner Cloud had prepared.

"Is it okay?" Cloud asked, sounding as if he feared the answer.

Tifa gave him a bright smile and took another bite. "Its delicious."

Cloud gave a sheepish grin and took another bite of pasta. "Good," he said.

"Very good," Tifa echoed, making him laugh.

They finished the rest of dinner in silence. Tifa cleared the table and headed for the sink. She was washing the dishes when she heard the first string of music floating into the kitchen. Cloud appeared in the doorway and held a hand out to her.

"Would you like to dance?" His eyes sparkled with a glitter of happiness.

Tifa wiped her hands on a dishtowel and placed in onto the counter. She walked over to him a smile playing over her lips. "I'd love to," she said taking his hand.

They walked to the living room hand in hand. He pulled her into his arms and spun her around the living room. Their laughter echoed through the starry night.

"So why they call it falling 

_Why they call it falling_

_Why they call it falling_

_I don't know"_

"There was passion 

_There was laughter_

_The first morning after_

_I just couldn't get my feet to touch the ground_

_Every time we were together_

_We talked about forever_

_I was certain it was heaven we had found"_

Tifa rested her head on Cloud's chest as they lay in bed together. She ran her fingernails down his chest, taking in every curve of his upper body. Cloud brushed damp locks of brown hair off her forehead. He laid a light kiss on the cheek, bringing a sigh to her lips.

"Tifa, I love you," he told her, stroking her back.

"I love you," she whispered back.

She pushed herself up so their lips meet. Cloud wrapped his arms around her bareback and held her close.

"How long can we continue to do this?" Cloud asked, pulling away slightly.

Tifa smiled, their lips barely brushing. "Forever."

Cloud pulled her back down to his lips and Tifa knew he agreed with her.

"So why they call it falling 

_Why they call it falling_

_Why they call it falling_

_I don't know"_

_"But you can't live your life_

_Walking in the clouds_

_Sooner or later_

_You have to come down"_

Cloud and Tifa sat in their living room together, bother of them reading. But unlike other times they weren't curled up together on the couch reading in each other's arms. Cloud sat in an armchair, his eyes focused on a newspaper. Tifa sat on the loveseat alone, reading a mystery novel.

She peered over the top of the book and looked at him. If he could feel her staring at him he didn't say anything. She knew something was up with him. But she couldn't bring herself to say anything about it. To afraid to bring up the topic.

_What is happening to use_, she thought with a worried look.

The silence drowns on, carrying them farther apart. Cloud folded his newspaper with a sorry look. He caught Tifa gazing at him and tried to smile. It didn't work though and the pained look remained.

"Tifa."

Cloud paused giving a nervous sigh, running his fingers through his hair.

"We need to talk."

"Its like a knife 

_Through the heart_

_When it all comes apart_

_Its like someone takes a pin to your balloon."_

"We need to talk."

Tifa closed her novel unsure if she should say anything. Instead she chose to remain silent and let Cloud begin the conversation. He was the one after all that wanted to talk. He put the newspaper on the floor and stood to up. He came to sit next to her on the loveseat.

"Yes?"

Tifa cursed herself for letting her voice betray her steady gaze. Her shaky voice revealed the turmoil in her heart.

Cloud reached out to take her hand but stopped. He pulled his hand back and Tifa nearly cried.

_He can't even hold your hand_, he mind informed her.

_I'm painfully aware of that._

"Tifa, we've been together for a long time," Cloud started. "But I can't be with you anymore."

Tifa's heart shattered as his words registered in her mind. She couldn't speak, not trusting her own voice. _You will not cry in front of him_, she ordered herself.

"Why?" she was finally able to manage. Her voice was soft but at least it was steady. "Somebody else?"

Cloud nodded not able to look her in the eyes. Tifa rose from the couch and walked out. She left Cloud in the living room without a tear in her eyes.

"It's a hole 

_It's a cave_

_It's kinda like a grave_

_When he tells you _

_That he's found somebody new"_

Tifa sat on her bed watching Cloud pack his belongings. It was her bed now, no longer was any plural ownership attached to anything in the house. Cloud had moved out a couple days ago but was now returning for his stuff.

He lived at the villa in Costa del Sol, Tifa was glad he had not moved in with his new girlfriend. She probably would have been unable to handle that. She watched him move around the room with empty eyes. She used to watch his every movement with love, now it was simply a blank stare. He was shoving shirts into his bag and was quickly running out of room.

"Here, let me."

Tifa took the bag from his hands. She emptied the contents on the bed and began to fold everything. She packed it neatly back in the bag, leaving plenty of room for the rest of his clothes.

"Thank you," he said when she handed the bag back to him.

"Your welcome," she said with a smile.

But her smile was as empty as an endless cave. Cloud laid a light kiss on her cheek and grabbed his bags. He wished her well and with that he was gone.

Tifa watched from the bedroom window as Cloud finally drove out of sight. Finally, she cried.

"And why they call it falling 

_Why they call it falling_

_Why they call it falling_

_Now I know"_

Months had passed and Tifa was still by herself.

She sat in her kitchen table one afternoon sipping a cup of green tea. She didn't mind being alone, but she had liked it much more when Cloud had been around.

But he was gone.

"And you are not," she finished her thought out loud.

She put her empty teacup into the sink and washed it off. She was doing fine was all she needed to keep telling herself.

She had simply fallen, now it was time to pick her self back up.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Authors Note**: Written way up high in the clouds on very little sleep. I was on a plane for cryin out loud. The song is "Why they call it Falling" and it's by Lee Ann Womack. Copyrighted by her label. Enjoy and please review.


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